


Discovering Family

by blk0912



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Barson, Barsonoah, F/M, Family, Some family fluff, episode fix
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:55:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24366892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blk0912/pseuds/blk0912
Summary: Rafael is upset about the events of the Drew Householder case and realizes he isn't as alone as he thought he was.
Relationships: Rafael Barba/Olivia Benson
Comments: 20
Kudos: 57





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is another situation where I know that fixes to this episode have been done, but my muse refused to let me work on the next chapter of At Last until I wrote this, so here it is. I am planning a part 2 to this, but I'm going to try to get the next chapter of At Last written first (no guarantees. Chapter 2 of this might happen first. Depends on the muse). 
> 
> I feel like this got a little sappy, but in my defense, I was listening to "Go the Distance" from Hercules when I wrote this. 
> 
> I like the idea of the squad being a family, and someone on Tumblr had mentioned wanting to see more domestic scenes of them, so that kind of influenced this as well.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Walking into the hospital chapel, Rafael silently took a seat in one of the pews about half-way into the room and braced his elbows on his knees as he dropped his head into his hands and closed his eyes. This was one of the times he wished his _Abuelita_ was still alive. She’d always known just what to say. He had very nearly turned off the life support of a child he didn’t even know. He had told Olivia earlier that when he looked at little Drew, all he could picture was Noah and think about what he’d do if that boy were in a similar situation. Olivia and Noah had become his life, the SVU squad his family. When he’d started with them, he never imagined how important all of them would become to him. He’d also become closer to his mother than he had been in years.

Yet he felt like such a mess. He loved his job, and working with Olivia and her squad-they had truly become a team and they challenged each other-was amazing, but he was feeling a little burnt out. He had just gotten off the phone with a rather annoyed Jack McCoy, telling him that he had to chosen to recuse himself from the case. In the end, the DA had understood and had said he was proud of him for realizing his limits. Another ADA would take over the case, and Rafael had been relieved when McCoy had said that his earlier offer was still on the table.

The Executive ADA for Manhattan had resigned and McCoy had offered the position to him. It would mean he would no longer be working with SVU as much; they would be assigned a new ADA, but it was a promotion he’d been eyeing for years, even before starting with SVU, and one he badly wanted to accept. He’d wanted to talk to Olivia first, though, but then this case had happened and he’d never gotten the chance.

He’d seen her earlier in the day, in Drew’s hospital room. She’d held his hand and assured him that Noah was fine, he was with his nanny. He’d simply nodded. It seemed this case had thrown a wrench in all of his perfectly laid plans and he wasn’t sure how to handle that.

He was startled out of his thoughts by someone placing their hand on his shoulder. He looked over to see an unfamiliar face looking at him with concern.

“Son, are you all right?” the owner of the voice asked, a man Rafael thought to be in his sixties, with gray hair and kind blue eyes.

“I…don’t know,” Rafael answered honestly, sighing as he ran his hands through his hair.

“My name is Liam, I’m the Chaplin here. Would you like to pray or is there someone I can call for you, or simply just talk?”

“Rafael…and I don’t know. The person I’d usually talk to passed away a few years ago. I’d really like to see my…best friend…and her son, but it’s late and he’s probably in bed already.”

“Best friend doesn’t really seem to describe this woman.”

“She’s…incredible. She just _knows_ me. It’s a little scary sometimes, but I wouldn’t change it. I can’t picture my life without her or her little boy in it. I love them both so much it hurts. Looking at the little boy in the hospital room…all I could see was Noah. All I could think about was what I’d do if that were him lying in that hospital bed. If it were Liv standing on the other side trying to decide whether to try and hold out for a miracle or end her son’s suffering, knowing that she herself was going to suffer either way.”

Liam nodded in understanding. “I often find that those who care most are never bothered when we call. If you two are as close as you say you are, then she’ll understand what you need.”

* * *

“Mom, I’m tired, why are we here?” Noah asked as he held tightly to his mother’s hand and followed her down the halls of the hospital.

“Rafa needs our help,” Olivia replied, knowing the little boy would do anything for the man.

The two had always had a connection, but as she and Rafael had gotten closer, it had strengthened. Shortly after the Sheila debacle, as the amount of time Rafael spent at the Benson apartment had increased to a near daily event, Noah had dropped the ‘Uncle’ from Rafael’s name and simply called him Rafa. Maybe he sensed the changing relationship between the two adults; he was very perceptive.

“Is he okay?”

“He’s a little sad right now, and he’s been worried about you. I told him you were okay, but I know he was still worried, and I think the best thing for him right now would be to see you in person.”

Noah nodded. He wasn’t sure why Rafael was worried about him, but he wanted to help and to make him feel better. Looking up at his mother, he asked his next question. “Do you love Rafa?”

“Very much, sweet boy.”

“I think you should tell him.”

Olivia smiled at the simplicity of her son’s statement. “I’ll think about it.”

* * *

“Rafa.”

Just as Liam had convinced him to call Olivia, Rafael heard her say his name. Turning his head, he saw her and Noah standing nearby. “Liv?” he asked, not believing his eyes.

“I brought someone to see you,” she said, giving her son the signal that it was okay to go to Rafael.

Sensing Rafael’s distress, Noah quickly climbed into his lap and cuddled close. “Why are you sad, Rafa?” he asked softly as Olivia joined them in the pew and Liam stood to give them a few minutes alone.

“There’s a little boy that I was trying to help, he’s very sick and there isn’t anything the doctors can do to make him better, and I started to think about how I would feel if it were _you_ lying in that hospital bed. If there was nothing I could do to help you feel better,” Rafael explained, trying to keep things simple.

“But I’m not sick…and you always make me feel better when I get hurt or don’t feel good.”

“I know…but sometimes our brains make us think things that aren’t always very logical.”

* * *

As Rafael and Noah continued their chat, Olivia took out her phone and sent texts to her squad. She knew they all considered Rafael a good friend, he was part of their family now, and would do anything to help him. They had all been there for each other to varying degrees over the last few years. From a bad day to a bad case to a bad verdict, they had been there for each other, and today was no different. She knew Rafael needed his family, which led her to sending one final text. Family, both biological and found, was what Rafael needed, and she was determined to show him that he had that. She was brought out of her thoughts by Rafael reaching for her hand. Scooting closer, she saw that Noah had fallen asleep and Rafael was holding him close, resting his head on the little boy’s.

“Rafa,” Olivia said, her heart practically bursting at the love she saw in his eyes-for her and her little boy.

“Liv…I…” Rafael lifted his head and started to speak, struggling to find the words he wanted to say, an unusual feeling for him.

Reaching over, Olivia curled a hand around the back of Rafael’s neck and pulled him closer, resting her forehead against his.

“ _Te amo_ ,” he whispered a few moments later.

“ _También te amo_ ,” she replied, leaning forward to brush her lips with his.

“ _Mi alma_.”

“ _Mi amor_.”

“ _Mi vida_.”

“ _Mi corazón_.”

“ _Mi esposa?_ ”

“Rafa…”

“ _Quiero pasar el resto de mi vida contigo_.”

Olivia felt tears well in her eyes at Rafael’s words. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine she’d find someone who loved her as much as Rafael clearly did. She’d come to the conclusion a while back that one of the reasons her other relationships hadn’t worked was because she’d been in love with Rafael and the connection she had with him was a once in a lifetime thing.

“I didn’t mean to make you sad…” he said, bringing her out of her thoughts again.

“No, Rafa, I’m not sad. I’m happy.”

“You are?”

“I want to spend the rest of my life with you, too. You and Noah, and our friends-the family we’ve created. I love you.”

Rafael leaned forward to kiss her again. “I love you, too. I should have told you years ago.”

“You’re saying it now…so I forgive you.”

* * *

A short while later, Rafael was surprised to see not only his mother, but Sonny, Amanda, and Fin as well. Amanda had Jesse with her, who reached out her arms to give her honorary uncle a hug as soon as she saw him.

“You’re a hit, Barba,” Amanda told him softly, seeing Noah still fast asleep in his lap.

“Rafi? Are you okay, _mijo_?” Lucia asked, her concern etched on her face.

“I’m okay now, _Mami_ ,” he replied.

“I guess some introductions are in order,” Olivia said as she laced her fingers through Rafael’s.

Rafael nodded. “ _Mami_ , you remember Olivia? This little man is her son, Noah. These are our friends, Fin Tutola, Sonny Carisi, and Amanda Rollins and her daughter, Jesse. Everyone, this is my mother, Lucia Barba.”

“Your son seems quite attached to mine,” Lucia commented to Olivia with a smile.

“So am I,” she replied, resting her head on Rafael’s shoulder.

“We all are,” Amanda said with a smile. “He’s part of our family.”

“He’s stuck with us,” Sonny added, grinning when Rafael rolled his eyes good-naturedly.

“What are you all doing here, anyway?” Rafael asked.

“Liv said you needed your family…so here we are,” Fin explained. “Simple.”

“Thank you.”

* * *

After chatting with her family for a while longer, Olivia shared a look with Rafael before addressing everyone.

“We should get this little guy home,” she said, indicating Noah. “Let’s meet at another…less stressful…place again soon?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Sonny replied before turning to Amanda and taking a now-sleeping Jesse into his arms. “Come on, Manda, I’ll take you home.”

Amanda smiled and nodded before turning to Rafael. “Don’t be a stranger.”

“You’ll take care of Liv and Noah?” Fin asked Rafael.

“Always.”

“Call me tomorrow, _mijo_ ,” Lucia said, pressing a kiss to his cheek and placing a small box in his jacket pocket.

* * *

“Do you want to put him to bed?” Olivia asked as Rafael followed her into her apartment, carrying a sleeping Noah in his arms.

“Sure,” Rafael replied, walking towards the boy’s bedroom.

Carefully pulling back the covers, Rafael placed Noah in his bed.

“Rafa?” he asked sleepily.

“Right here, _mijo_ ,” he replied, running a hand through the boy’s curls and then handing him his trusted stuffed elephant. “Here’s Eddie. Go back to sleep. You’re home now.”

“Will you be here when I wake up?”

“Yes.”

“’Kay. ‘Night.”

“ _Buenas Noches,_ ” Rafael said, leaning over to press a kiss to Noah’s forehead. “ _Dulces sueños, mijo_.”

* * *

“Hi,” Olivia greeted softly as she saw Rafael enter her bedroom a few minutes later.

“Hi,” Rafael replied, walking over and giving her a kiss.

“You’re staying, right?”

Rafael nodded, taking a seat on the bed next to Olivia.

“I meant what I said in the chapel, Liv,” he began. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Rafael took the small box his mother had given him earlier out of his pocket and opened it before turning to towards Olivia.

“This was my _Abuelita’s_ ring,” he explained. “She told me to give it to the woman that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, the woman I wanted to build a family with. That’s you, Liv. You and Noah, my mom, the squad. You’re my family.”

“Just ask me the question, Rafa,” Olivia said with a watery laugh.

Rafael nodded, taking the ring out of the box and holding it up. “Will you marry me?”

Olivia felt tears running down her face and blurring her vision as she spoke. “Yes. Absolutely yes.”

Rafael smiled as he slid the ring onto her finger, his smile growing when he realized it fit perfectly. Leaning forward, he kissed his new fiancée, trying his best to show her how much he loved her, how much she meant to him.

* * *

Early the next morning, as he lay cuddling with Olivia, Rafael decided to tell her the other thing he’d been trying to find the words to say.

“McCoy offered me a promotion,” he blurted out.

Olivia raised her head from its position on his shoulder to look at him better. “What?” she asked.

“McCoy offered me a promotion...Executive ADA for Manhattan.”

“Rafa, that’s amazing!”

“It means we wouldn’t be working together as much…”

“I don’t care. I mean, I do, I like working with you, and you’re the best ADA that SVU has ever had, but still. You deserve it, Rafa. Besides, it’s not like I won’t see you every day. I’ll still get to come home to you and Noah.”

“Every day?” Rafael repeated, raising an eyebrow at her.

“Move in here…or Noah and I will move in with you…or we can find a different place. I just want the three of us to be together.”

“My place is bigger and has better security…and Noah pretty much already claimed the spare room as his. We already have half of our stuff at each other’s places. We just skipped the whole dating step and went straight to moving in together…and now getting engaged.”

“I don’t need, or want, a big wedding. Something simple. You, me, Noah, your mom, the squad. We can have a big party after we finish moving…I just want to marry you.”

“Sounds perfect.”

Olivia smiled and nodded, leaning over to kiss Rafael before circling back to the original topic of their conversation. “I think you should take the promotion.”

“Okay,” Rafael agreed, bringing her closer to kiss her some more.

* * *

“Mom! Dad! Wake up! It’s morning!” Noah shouted as he burst into Olivia’s bedroom and clambered onto the bed, already vibrating with energy.

“Oof,” Rafael said with a laugh as Noah landed on his chest. “ _Mijo_ , your mom and I aren’t quite as awake as you yet. You need to give us a few minutes.”

“But I’m hungry! And it’s Saturday! It’s pancake day!”

Rafael turned his head to look at his fiancée. “I think I’m going to need you to add these specific meals to my calendar.”

Olivia grinned at him. “I can do that,” she replied, pausing for a moment before cluing him in on something she wasn’t sure he’d heard. “He called you ‘dad’.”

“He called me _mijo_ last night…that means ‘my son’…” Noah told her, nervously looking between the adults. “I thought…”

Rafael hugged Noah close to him and pressed a kiss to the top of his head. “I’d love to be your dad, Noah, if that’s okay with your mom,” he assured him.

“If that’s what you want, Noah,” Olivia added.

“It is,” Noah said.

“Then I think it’s time we made it official by changing Saturday from pancake morning to _family_ pancake morning.”

Noah grinned and nodded before turning back to Rafael. “Can you do the flipping trick again?”

The last time he’d been over for breakfast at the Bensons, Rafael had made them pancakes and Noah had been fascinated by the way he had flipped the pancake in the air and caught it with the pan.

“Only if you help me make the batter,” he replied.

“Deal!”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've never watched the original Law and Order, so I know next to nothing about Jack McCoy's character. After talking with a reader of another story of mine, I realized that the way I've characterized him here is basically like AU, it's now how he's characterized in canon. I wrote this before I realized that, but didn't want to change it, so I kept it. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you all enjoy!

* * *

A few days later, Rafael stood outside of Jack McCoy’s office and took a deep breath before knocking on the door. After discussing things with Olivia, he had decided to take the promotion. They had also talked to Noah about moving and their engagement, and the little boy had been excited about both of those things. Olivia had begun going through her things the previous morning while he distracted Noah with Legos. He was sad to be leaving the squad, the team that he’d worked with for six years, but Olivia had assured him they would all be happy for him.

* * *

“Rafael, I didn’t expect to see you so soon,” Jack said as the younger man entered his office.

“I wanted to talk to you about the Executive ADA position,” Rafael answered.

“You’re turning it down?”

“The opposite, actually…I’d like to accept it.”

Jack smiled. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

“I have some other cases with SVU that I’d like to finish…and I’d like to tell the squad myself that I’m…going to be working with them a lot less.”

“I understand. I think we can work something out.”

“Thank you.”

Jack nodded. “How are you feeling? Better?”

Rafael smiled and nodded. “Much. Thank you.”

“Give Olivia and her squad my best, will you?”

“How did you know that’s where I was headed?”

Jack smiled at the younger man, grabbing a photo off of the desk and walking over to him to rest a hand on his shoulder. “I’ve loved this woman for a very long time,” he said, gesturing to the photo of him and his wife. “I would not be where I am today if it weren’t for her unwavering belief in me. Olivia has _always_ believed in you, Rafael. I’ve seen the way you two have gotten closer over the years, and correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe that close friendship has turned into something…more?”

“It has,” Rafael confirmed. “That was the other thing I needed to talk to you about…”

“I’ll take care of it.”

“Thank you.”

* * *

“McCoy figured us out,” Rafael said as he walked into Olivia’s office.

“So did Dodds,” Olivia replied with a chuckle. “I guess we were more obvious than we thought.”

Sitting on the edge of Olivia’s desk, Rafael took her hand and laced their fingers together. “I officially accepted the promotion.”

Olivia smiled, standing to give him a quick kiss. “Good. We’ll celebrate at home with Noah tonight.”

“I really like that sentence.”

“Me, too.”

* * *

“You’re leaving, aren’t you? That’s why we’re all gathered here?” Amanda guessed as she and the rest of the squad gathered in Olivia’s office to speak with her and Rafael.

“Sort of,” Rafael answered, Sonny interrupting before he could say anything else.

“You got promoted, didn’t you? The Executive ADA position, right?” he asked.

“Yes to both. I’ll be wrapping up the cases we currently have, and we may still be working together from time to time, but you will be getting assigned a new ADA. I don’t have an exact timeline from McCoy yet, but I’ll help where I can until everything gets sorted out.”

“Why do I get the feeling that there’s more?” Fin wondered, looking between Rafael and Olivia.

“Because there is,” Olivia answered, reaching for Rafael’s hand and lacing their fingers together. “Rafael and I have officially disclosed…”

“About time!” Amanda said with a laugh.

“Congrats,” Sonny added.

“Fin?” Olivia asked, a little worried about the silence from her long-time friend.

Fin studied his friends for a moment. He had known Olivia a lot longer, but Rafael had become a good friend over the years as well. He had seen first-hand how their working relationship had given way to friendship and then something…more. He also knew how much Olivia’s little boy adored Rafael…and how much that feeling was completely mutual. He had watched Olivia struggle over the years, trying to find herself after her long-time partner left without so much as a goodbye, then in various relationships over the years as she ultimately realized that they wanted her to be someone she simply wasn’t. Then she had adopted Noah and she became the mother she had always wanted to be, but hadn’t ever truly let herself believe she would get the chance to be. As she and Rafael had grown closer, he had seen her smile and laugh more, seen them develop a silent communication. Even if he didn’t always know quite what to do, he was always there for Olivia and for Noah. He couldn’t ask for more for his friend.

“I’m happy for ya,” he said simply. “Although breaking in a new ADA is going to be hell.”

Olivia let go of Rafael’s hand to walk over and hug her friend, who pretended to object to the affection.

“We’ll miss you,” Amanda told Rafael. “But we’re happy for you. You deserve it. Don’t be a stranger, though, okay?”

“I’ll do my best,” he promised.

As Olivia hugged Fin, Amanda noticed the ring she now wore on her left hand. Grabbing her friend’s hand, she looked between her and Rafael. “Are you two _engaged_?!”

“We are,” Olivia confirmed, sharing a soft smile with her fiancé.

“Congrats, again,” Sonny told them. He was stopped from saying anything else by the sound of his phone ringing. Glancing at the number, his eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Excuse me; I think I need to take this.”

“You wouldn’t happen to have anything to do with that phone call, would you?” Olivia asked Rafael, returning to his side.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he answered, sliding an arm around her waist to pull her close.

Having heard the conversation, Amanda paled. She suddenly knew who was calling Sonny and why.

“Amanda, are you okay?” Olivia asked, noticing the younger woman’s panicked expression.

“I just need a minute,” she said, quickly standing and walking to her desk to grab her coat.

“You want me to go after her?” Fin asked.

Olivia shook her head. “I think she needs a few minutes to herself.”

Before anyone could say anything else, Sonny reappeared. “That was Jack McCoy,” he said a little breathlessly. “He offered me Rafael’s old job-SVU’s ADA.”

Olivia shared a smile with her fiancé before turning back to her friend. “Did you accept?”

“I did,” he confirmed. Noticing one member of the squad was now missing, he looked confused. “Where did Manda go?”

“For a walk, I think.”

“Do you mind…” he started, cut off by Olivia smiling and shaking her head.

“Go ahead,” she told him.

“A new ADA _and_ a new detective?” Fin asked. “Are you _trying_ to kill me, here?”

“Technically not a new ADA.”

Fin simply shook his head and turned to leave the room, shutting the door behind him.

Turning her fiancé, Olivia leaned over to kiss him softly. “Congratulations, Rafa. You deserve it.”

“I love you,” Rafael replied, pulling her close for another kiss. “Thank you for believing in me.”

Unable to resist, Olivia kissed him again. “I love you, too…and I’ll _always_ believe in you, but you don’t need to thank me for it.”

* * *

Finding Amanda sitting on a bench not far from the precinct, Sonny took a seat next to her.

“They offered you the job, didn’t they?” Amanda asked a few moments later.

“They did…and I accepted it,” Sonny confirmed.

“Congratulations. You’re moving up in the world.”

“Manda.”

Amanda turned to look at him, tears pooling in her eyes. “What do you want me to say, Sonny? I’m losing my partner.”

“It’s not like you’re never going to see me again.”

“It won’t be the same.”

“You knew this was a possibility when I passed the bar.”

“I know, I just didn’t think it would happen _this fast_.”

Sonny sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I thought you would be happy for me.”

“I _am_ ,” Amanda insisted.

“I don’t believe you.”

“You’re my best friend, you know that?” Amanda said as she stood and began to pace. “You’ve inserted yourself into every aspect of my life. You’re the person I want to talk to when I’ve had a bad day and need to vent or when I’ve had a good day and I want to share something exciting that happened. I love coming home to the smell of you cooking your _Nonna_ ’s spaghetti while you simultaneously keep Jesse entertained and happy, and then just sitting and talking with you after she’s gone to bed or watching stupid reality TV together.”

“All of those things are still possible, even with me moving to the DA’s office,” Sonny assured her.

“Are they? What if you meet some gorgeous, intelligent lawyer with the same romantic soul I know you have? Then you’ll forget all about me and my daughter…”

“That’s not possible,” Sonny said as he stood and took her hands in his.

“I’m just a messed up girl from Atlanta who had a kid out of wedlock with a guy who doesn’t even want anything to do with me or his kid. I don’t use big words like _obfuscate_. I come from a messed up home, with parents who loved my sister more than me…”

“Do you think any of that really matters?”

“ _I don’t know_.”

“Declan is a fool for not wanting anything to do with his daughter. It’s _his_ loss. You are doing an amazing job with Jesse. You put her first and love her unconditionally, and it shows. You’re my best friend, too, Manda.”

“What if…” Amanda started, then shook her head and cut herself off.

“What if…what?” Sonny prompted; his heart feeling like it was going to beat out his chest.

“Liv and Barba finally admitted what we’ve all known to be true for years-that they’re in love with each other. Now, they’re engaged and planning to spend the rest of their lives with each other. I watched them fall in love, Sonny. The way they just _connected_ , pretty much from day one. The little touches, the looks that passed between them.

I want that, too. I never let myself imagine that it could be possible, so I always chased after guys I _knew_ were bad for me or that I knew it could be _just sex_ with. Then I met you, and sort of like Liv and Barba, you annoyed the hell out of me at first. But then you became my _partner_. My _best friend_. I’m not a police lieutenant, hell I’m not even a second-grade detective yet. All of those little things you do, they mean _so much_. I’m afraid you’re going to meet someone else, someone _better_ , now that you’re going to be working in the DA’s office.”

“Manda, there could _never_ be someone better than you. Not for me. This is my shot, but I can’t do it alone. I need my best friend beside me. She’s the one who always believes in me, even when I annoy her.”

Stepping closer, Amanda leaned up to press her lips to Sonny’s. After a moment of shock, Sonny wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close as he deepened the kiss.

“ _Ti amo_ ,” he said a few moments later as they pulled back to look at each other. “I love you. You and Jesse.”

“We love you, too.”

* * *

Later that night, as they relaxed in their bed together, turned on their sides facing each other, Rafael and Olivia reflected on the day. He had just finished telling her about his conversation with McCoy that morning.

“Jack McCoy has a soft side, who knew,” Olivia joked, eliciting a laugh from Rafael.

“Some people could say the same about me,” he reminded her.

“Let them think it. They can’t have you. Noah and I have claimed you.”

Rafael smiled, leaning over to give her a soft kiss. “I wasn’t sure we’d ever get here, you know?”

Olivia reached over to run her hand through his hair. “Me, neither. But I’m glad we are.”

“Me, too. I love you, _mi vida_.”

“I love you, too, _mi esposo_.”

Rafael’s smile grew. “ _Mi esposa_. Soon.”

* * *

A few weeks later, shortly after Olivia and Rafael had married, and the latter had officially adopted Noah, they decided to take a long weekend to spend just the three of them. Noah had been asking to go to the Bronx Zoo, so they decided to indulge him.

It also gave Rafael a chance to meet up with Eddie, and they had invited his son as well. After leaving him years earlier, his wife had finally filed for divorce a few months ago and Eddie had reluctantly taken off his wedding ring. He was still focused on his son, who was a few years older than Noah, but the two boys got along just fine.

As they were walking to meet up with Eddie and Mateo, Noah walking between them holding each of their hands, Olivia heard a familiar voice.

“Liv?”

Turning her head, Olivia saw Amanda and Sonny walking toward them, Jesse between them holding one of each of their hands

“Noah, sweet boy, look who’s here,” Olivia said, gaining her son’s attention. He had been busy talking to Rafael about their latest Lego creation.

Recognizing the new faces, he grinned. “Auntie Amanda! Uncle Sonny!”

“I guess now we know why Jesse kept asking to go to the zoo,” Sonny teased, reaching out to ruffle Noah’s hair affectionately.

“It’s a good day for the zoo,” Olivia replied with a smile.

* * *

Watching Rafael, Olivia, and Noah with people he vaguely remembered meeting at their wedding, Eddie wondered if he would be welcome anymore. When he heard Rafael call his name, he smiled and motioned for Mateo to follow him.

“¡ _Tío_ Eddie!” Noah shouted excitedly when he saw his father’s oldest friend.

“ _Sobrino_ ,” Eddie replied with a smile, bending to hug the young boy.

After exchanging greetings with Rafael and Olivia, Eddie smiled as the former re-introduced him to the other couple.

“Eddie, you remember Sonny and Amanda?” Rafael began. Upon Eddie’s not, he continued. “This is their daughter, Jesse.”

“It’s nice to see you again,” Sonny said to Eddie with a smile. “You have a son as well?”

Eddie nodded. “This is my son, Mateo. Mateo, these are your _Tío_ Rafi and _Tía_ Liv’s friends.”

“Hello,” Mateo greeted.

* * *

A couple of hours later, all of the awkwardness from earlier gone, Rafael smiled as he observed Eddie and Sonny talking with the kids while Amanda and Olivia went to get them all some water.

“Everything okay?” Olivia asked as she approached few minutes later, handing him a bottle of water.

“Yes. Just thinking,” Rafael replied, pressing a kiss to her temple. “Good thoughts.”

“Better be.”

Rafael smiled. “When I’m with you and our son? Always.”

“I’m glad Eddie and Mateo were able to meet us here today.”

“Me, too. I think Jesse just gained another honorary uncle, too.”

Olivia followed Rafael’s gaze to where their friends and their son were standing, looking like they all belonged together. “I guess this just means we’ll have to invite Eddie and Mateo to more things in the future.”

“Sounds perfect.”

* * *

A few weeks after the visit to the zoo, Olivia and Rafael put together a BBQ/pool party for their friends and family. They had rented a house for the weekend that had a large backyard, including a hot tub and a pool that included a slide. The weather was cooperating and it was turning out to be a gorgeous day. Noah had been vibrating with energy since he woke up that morning. After lunch, everyone was lounging in or around the pool and hot tub. Lucia was entertaining Jesse in the shallow end of the pool while the older kids took turns on the slide. Amanda, Olivia, and Rita had their chairs in a circle as they talked and watched the kids in the pool. Fin, Nick, and Munch were sitting in the hot tub chatting while Cragen and his wife talked with Rafael and Eddie near the side of the pool. The only one missing was Sonny.

“Has anyone seen Carisi?” Rafael asked.

“He was filling up some water balloons last time I saw him,” Nick answered.

_“Dios mío.”_

Eddie hadn’t known the newest ADA long, but he knew the man had a child-like playful side that everyone pretended to be annoyed by but secretly enjoyed. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a high-pitched scream and a shout of “Dominick Carisi, you are _so_ going to pay for that!”

Rafael watched in amusement as Amanda grabbed a water balloon of her own and threw it at Sonny, hitting him square in the back of the head. He was surprised when he felt one hit the back of his own head just a few moments later. Turning, he saw his wife laughing and reaching for another balloon. Quickly standing, he attempted to make his way over to her without getting hit again, but realized he was going to be unsuccessful as another balloon hit him in the chest. Giving into laughter of his own, he chased after Olivia, catching her around the waist as she neared the deep end of the pool.

“Rafa, don’t!” she said as she watched him glance from her to the pool and then back again.

“You should have thought of that before you hit me with a water balloon, _mi vida_ ,” he answered as he pulled her into the water with him, earning cheers and more laughter from Noah.

* * *

“It’s nice to see Rafi so happy,” Eddie commented to Lucia as he joined her. Eileen had taken Jesse inside to change her so they were alone.

“It is,” Lucia agreed with a smile.

“You had a feeling about him and Olivia, didn’t you?”

Lucia nodded, her smile growing. “I did. His _abuelita_ did, too. I wish she could see him now.”

“I think she knows…and _ella esta muy orgullosa_.”

Lucia smiled at him gratefully. “Go have fun with them, _chico_.”

Needing no further encouragement, Eddie pressed a quick kiss to Lucia’s cheek before joining his son and friends.

* * *

Later that night, after everyone had left and Noah was asleep, Rafael and Olivia relaxed on the couch together.

“I still can’t believe you threw a water balloon at my head,” Rafael commented with a laugh as Olivia curled into his side.

Olivia laughed, sliding her arm across his waist and resting her head on his shoulder. “You grabbed me and jumped into the pool!”

“ _Recuperación, mi vida_.”

“Mm. I’ll remember that.”

Rafael chuckled, capturing her lips in a soft kiss. “Today was fun. I can’t remember the last time I laughed as much as I did today.”

“Good. We deserve to be happy, Rafa.”

“I _am_ happy. I have you, our son, and our family. That’s all I need.”

Olivia smiled, leaning up to kiss Rafael again before settling back against his side. “Perfect.”


End file.
